Bailey Wright could also be one in every of simply two Sunderland gamers on the World Cup however the skilled defender might quickly be surplus to necessities on the Stadium of Mild.
The 30-year-old joins Costa Rica’s Jewison Bennette in Qatar because the Sunderland gamers on present however is but to play a single minute for Australia of their two group video games up to now.
The previous Preston North Finish man performed an enormous half within the Black Cats lastly reaching promotion again to the Championship final season however has been a peripheral determine for a lot of the Championship marketing campaign to this point, and has struggled on his uncommon appearances within the first group.
Wright has began simply four games for Tony Mowbray’s aspect within the second tier this time period, all of which got here within the 4 video games main as much as the World Cup break.
His performances have seen him common a disappointing 6.45 ranking from WhoScored, which ranks him because the Fifteenth-best performer on the Stadium of Mild up to now this marketing campaign.
This emphasises how a lot he has struggled and with the likes of Ajibola Alese, Luke O’Nien, Dennis Cirkin and Danny Batth all outperforming him based on WhoScored, he arguably wants dropping from the beginning aspect.
Is Wright surplus to necessities?
Dominic Ballard can also be set to return from injury after the World Cup, which might push Wright even additional down the pecking order in Mowbray’s considering, so it may be greatest simply to promote the centre-back in January, quite than doubtlessly shedding him for nothing when his contract expires in 2024.
Since becoming a member of on a everlasting deal in 2020, the Australia worldwide has gone on to make 102 appearances for the Black Cats, scoring 4 objectives and aiding one, however his lack of sport time up to now this marketing campaign means that his Sunderland profession might quickly be over.
After some robust performances two years in the past, Kevin Phillips likened the defender to Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk, saying:
“Generally the supervisor can solely say a lot and then you definately need of your senior expertise gamers to pipe up and put just a few folks of their place and provides encouragement and be a pacesetter. He looks like that.
“The stats simply present what an vital participant he’s. He’s nearly to Sunderland what van Dijk is to Liverpool in the intervening time with these unimaginable stats.
“It’s vital he stays match all through the season.”
Nonetheless, very like the struggling Dutch defender, his kind has declined this season and with Ballard coming back from damage, Mowbray may be greatest shifting Wright on within the January window.